[SP/MP] Dynamic Whole Map Missions by SaOk

[nettrucker 142]

Hi SaOk. congrats to the release. Have been and still am very busy with . . . yeah you know what. Haven't even downloaded your mission so far, but will definitely do it once I have a little time at my disposal. Read the spotlight interview on OFPEC. Great read.

Cheers

[SaOk 112]

Thanks :), maybe also better to wait the next mission version. There will be many fixes and additions.

Good luck to you with the project. Spring is always the best time for those. Only couple of months ago this year looked bad for music, now there is much great stuff coming or even ready for listen. Currently listening excelent new Daniel Rossen Ep and few leaked Beach House tracks from youtube (including "On the Sea" - could music sound any more beautiful?). Really excited to wait their upcoming album Bloom.

Edited March 28, 2012 by SaOk

[SaOk 112]

Version 0.9 is available with many tweaks/fixes and additions. See the first post.

Edited March 31, 2012 by SaOk

[ericfr 0]

SPZub0_9.Chernarus.pbo

[SaOk 112]

Damn, sorry. I erased it accidentally when changeing file name. First post is now updated with working filename. Thanks EricFr for reporting :)

[Kommiekat 11]

About the enemy spawning...

Going for the AA in town for CDF forces, about to plant a C4 sachel when, suddenly, out of thin air, enemy unit spawns right in front of my eyes, takes out half of my unit because they weren't registering the threat so quickly. Happened twice so far. Next time, I'll wait, take him out and proceed with the mission. Not sure if you can make adjustments to spawning, but would be nice if they didn't have superman powers.

Lastly, knowing this is Beta, is there a way to build on top of the previous? If I spend 5 hours on this current version, I don't want to lose that time for the next one coming out and have to start over again.

Sorry for the whinning.:k: Putting lots of time in this mission. Been waiting for one like this for a long time.

Cheers!

Edited April 2, 2012 by Kommiekat

[SaOk 112]

Was it a small enemy camp? I only found that it could spawn too close (fixed for next version). I will also add some more distance how close a patrol can spawn. Also I finally found out why the joined NAPA soldier rarely attacks player (it happens if the joining unit is the same who points you after mr. Swartz, because he have dotarget on player. Its also now fixed for next version. Currently you need to shoot him).

You may need to restart always with the new version, but not sure if some of the updates would still work without reverting.

And nope, good thing you post feedback. :) I have already tweaked/fixed many things with that. There is so much random stuff and other that is difficult to test alone.

Edited April 2, 2012 by SaOk

[Kommiekat 11]

^^^

OK, if the comments help, I'll throw some more at you when they come up.:p

I've noticed a few times that Player #3 dies:

when I go back to get my unit after the doctor fixes them up. I don't know why. Maybe he's too close to the chopper? You have smoke going, but not sure if there is fire. I don't recall seeing fire at the chopper.

Also about the respawning:

I've noticed in some early fire fights, taking out a patrol or something, immediately they get back-up of a URAL with a squad of men and soon after that a BMP or chopper or tank. I now try to either go around patrols and sneak past them.

About the chopper:

Sometimes the enemy chopper will fly erratically. Like all over the place and then crash into trees or the ground. Sometimes seems to follow the player (me) even when it's very cloudy with great precision. Also noticed that the enemy is using a U.S. Navy chopper. Any reason why for that?

Fire:

There is as town near the castle that is on fire. I get big lag hits when I get too close to anything on fire but I really think that is because it is time to upgrade my system to x64 and throw in lots and lots of RAM. Seems like x32 with 4gb is just not enough these days.

Will report anything I notice.

Cheers!!

[SaOk 112]

Thanks for more feedback. :)

Do you use ACE-mod, then the fire-script can kill if too close? I will try to prevent that, also see if there is other stuff that could kill them.

I make that random truck appear slower. Noticed that earlier myself too, but forgot to tweak it.

That U.S. Chopper is the one, insurgents stole in campaign outro. If you drop it, it never show up again. It should circle around the believed player position, but I check that. The crashing choppers I cant change, those come with the AI. I dont use low flyheight commands.

The fire script was causing lag for me too, I tryed to optimize it with less particles and slower movement. But I will try to tweak that more. There is also small bug in 0.9 version (fire removal code had ; missing, not sure if the fire is now deleted ever). Fixed in next one. 4Gb should be enough for ArmA2, I havent seen it useing more than 1-1,3Gb memory. CPU matters the most.

[orcinus 121]

Thanks for more feedback. :)

Do you use ACE-mod, then the fire-script can kill if too close? I will try to prevent that, also see if there is other stuff that could kill them.

I make that random truck appear slower. Noticed that earlier myself too, but forgot to tweak it.

That U.S. Chopper is the one, insurgents stole in campaign outro. If you drop it, it never show up again. It should circle around the believed player position, but I check that. The crashing choppers I cant change, those come with the AI. I dont use low flyheight commands.

The fire script was causing lag for me too, I tryed to optimize it with less particles and slower movement. But I will try to tweak that more. There is also small bug in 0.9 version (fire removal code had ; missing, not sure if the fire is now deleted ever). Fixed in next one. 4Gb should be enough for ArmA2, I havent seen it useing more than 1-1,3Gb memory. CPU matters the most.

Hi Saok

Like v.9 a lot. No issues so far, just started playing it this evening. BTW I don't have too many chopper crashes on Chernarus with VFTCAS (though it doesn't seem to work nearly as well on Podagorsk).

I just got the chopper by shooting the pilot - I had a DMR & got him as he circled at ~350-400m. Seems to fly quite slowly - search mode, I suppose, as I was heading for the enemy antenna. Nice to know he won't be coming back :)

BR

Orcinus

[SaOk 112]

Yes, that chopper uses custom search function. :) I meant to have some friendly choppers appearing in the same way as well, but havent find yet good place for that.

The enemy fighters are unlimited, but dosent appear anymore if insurgents have lost 8 support trucks (or 4 + whole supply depot) (I made the amount high because friendly AI also destroys those much). In next version now, also the air transport choppers stop appearing after that. Destroying the supply trucks and depot also affect quickly how much gas enemy vehicles have, making them finally static.

Edited April 2, 2012 by SaOk

[ericfr 0]

Great mission, immersive, dynamic...Very long.

The big problem new ennemies spawn miraculously, particulary in the front line where i have cleaned before.

Remove AI pistols to prevent bug.

MMA is useless.

Take the airfield is too easy. (spawn problem?)

To be continued !

Thanks

[SaOk 112]

Thanks, :)

I agree the frontline is party horrible and unfinished. I will tweak/remake to feel more real feeling, also the airfield part. The MMA offers ammocrate drops with some better weapons (and air strikes if you destroy at least 3 AA).

I thought the pistol bug is already fixed? Did you see some AI stucked with pistol or just using it in stupid places?

[ericfr 0]

Pistol Bug : Not in your mission because I remove all pistols AI at the start up. But i've seen AI with pistol stucked, 1.60 and Betas.

I don't use MMA and Minefield too, the truck is an easy target for ennemies. I say that to "slim" the mission scripts..

[SaOk 112]

The MMA and minefield scripts have no much hit on performance. Those are only active when used. I also removed the minefield truck markers, to have no condition checks for those. The truck is quite extra, but offers also way to repair captured enemy vehicles. I will see if I could make some optional task for that truck too.

[SaOk 112]

New version is here with some important fixes and some new stuff. Still beta, and I hope to add much more content. The final tasks should be less laggy, and that final part more challening. Also added new event that also have small effect on ambient scripts. Its not meant to annoy, more like a bonus. Player is not meant to run after it all the time. ;) Let me know if you have thoughts. I will still continue working on that trench part. At least its now marked on map, to avoid players accidentally heading to it.

Change Log:

0.95:

-New random defend-task

-Improved last tasks

-Empty vehicles can now be found in villages

-Some new fixed camps

-Some voices added for hostiles

-Improved markers

-Dialog improvements

-Crate with marker is no longer deleted in antenna task

-Much other tweaks/fixes/additions

[SaOk 112]

Coop version for 1-9 players is available now as beta 0.5 version I tested the mission alone to CDF task without problems (in dedicated server), but have patience while playing and let me know all the issues you find. Since I made the mission first for SP, I needed to change much conditions/code to fit in MP. If players are moving away from each other the amount of certain life is multiplied now with each section of the group with more than 700m distance from other players. Hard to explain that right, but it should work for many things already. ;) Always better to play as group, but for sent recons there is also life to see for them. Known flaws currently are village life that is more alive only when team leader is nearby. Same for village events. Also teamleader is only one that can communicate with task targets (speak to characters, launch tasks...). See the first post.

Edited April 10, 2012 by SaOk

[-)rStrangelove 0]

A port to Lingor Island would be awesome :)

[SaOk 112]

I have been thinking that, but not sure yet if there is a good time for it with Iron Front coming soon. But lets see :)

[SaOk 112]

New singleplayer version 1.0 of Zub is released. I tryed to tweak the stuttering away (when using vehicle) as good as I could. I advice to use the latest beta 90229 (or newer). I am getting better performance with it. As new features the NAPA HQ is now at random location (3 different each with own cutscenes (3x3)). If you want to make sure to get different one than the old location, save the game before meeting NAPA soldiers in trouble. The location is picked randomly during dialog in that meeting. As optional extra if you have Project CDF addon by GossamerSolid, those vehicles are used randomly. Also there is new civilian conversation system, some new events and new optional objective. See the first post for download link(s).

Change Log:

1.00:

-NAPA HQ is now at random place (3 different)

-CDF task is at random place (2 different)

-Random cutscenes

-New events

-Player can now talk and receive intel with/from civilians

-Additional vehicles used if addon "Project CDF by GossamerSolid" is detected

-New optional function to remove unwanted team-member(s)

-Spawning distance tweaks

-Ambient Civilian Vehicles Module added

-Added Hungarian/Czech voices by Bardosy and Tslava

-Optimizations

-Much other tweaks/fixes/additions

Edited April 24, 2012 by SaOk

[Kommiekat 11]

Saok,

This is not a complaint, but, no way each build can pile onto itself?

I noticed that Markby5 with his "LOST" mission has an interesting feature. The versions will upgrade to the newer version as you are in game play.

In that way, I don't lose the hours I've already put into the game and don't have to start all over again.

Note: Things are much smoother since the upgrades. Thanks!

I can still help with the English dialogues if needed.

[SaOk 112]

Not sure how he have made it. Will the mission use automatically updated scripts? If so, some of the new tweaks may work without reverting, but there is also updated triggers, new empty car module and such. Also there is some new structures between different scripts (to play right cutscenes and move some triggers/objects to right places), if the old script is runned before the new version of later script it will fail. I am afraid the restart is needed.

I am still planning to add some things which will have new dialog, but I will send you the current stringtable. Thanks for helping. :)

[SaOk 112]

I noticed one flaw - the new optional task have now cutscene forced to 3rd possible HQ location, potentially taking player far away from his team. Its still playable but player need to drive alone quite long to reach his team. I will create a new version in week or two with other new stuff. If you have still some ideas, what to add or tweak - let me know. Is there something missing in generating war, something too rare or general?

[jedra 11]

Played this for a few hours last night - very enjoyable. One thing that was a problem was that my squad members kept getting stuck in the CDF camp - it was a bit like a trap, it took me a long time to get them out again one by one! I think some of the structures in the composition may be too close to each other which prevents the AI from navigating through (like when the AI can't get through doors or walk through small gaps that a player can get through).

Anyway, this is probably more of an issue with the path-finding in the Arma 2 engine so not a lot you can do about it. So , in the next version could you implement team switch? That way, when the AI get stuck I can switch over to them and get them out of it.

[Kommiekat 11]

P So , in the next version could you implement team switch?

That's a good idea. One of the team members is a snipper and I'd rather take out the enemy myself for crucial side missions and so forth.